The Kumbungu District Association of the Deaf (KuDAD), a branch of the Ghana National Association of the Deaf (GNAD), has urged all deaf persons or with related conditions to register with the association to strengthen it in seeking rights and benefits.

The association as part of its numerical strengthening campaign organised an awareness creation programme to promote positive aspects of deafness and social inclusion for the deaf communities.

Mr Sumani Bapio Ibrahim, the Northern Regional President of GNAD, said there was the need for members of the public to be educated on deafness and other aspects associated with it for the benefit of social inclusion.

He appealed to guardians and other stakeholders to support the leadership of the deaf association to get them to register across the district.

He noted that if deaf persons were encouraged to join the association, it would enhance the learning of sign language by persons with hearing impairment and make communication easier.

He expressed worry about deaf girls forced into marriages at early ages, where in most cases, they neither understood marriage nor their husbands understood the challenges that came with being deaf, and cautioned against deaf child marriage.

Mr Dason Alhassan, Head of Department at the Kumbungu District Department of Social Welfare and Community Development (DSWCP), encouraged parents with deaf and hearing-impaired persons to enroll them in a formal or skill training to guarantee livelihoods for them.

He said the District Assemblies would provide support to needy people with disabilities using the common fund, and encouraged parents not to hesitate to get in touch with the Assemblies to be assisted.